It didn’t take me too long as a parent to realize that you have to be careful what you tell kids you are going to do as they never seem to forget. “Tomorrow we are going to the park”….tomorrow comes and you get busy and they are all, “Um, I thought we were going to the park?!”

So I decided that the best way for me to get in daily fitness is to get them to encourage me by doing it together.

We came up with a plan. For 1 month, we’ll get in 30 minutes of “movement” a day and by movement, I mean some sort of fitness/exercise. And my promise to them? That along with all the benefits they’ll gain by staying healthy, I’ll also take them someplace to reward them for their efforts – one of those jumpy house places. What kid doesn’t love those, right?!

I printed off a blank July calendar and for each day that they get in their 30 minutes of movement, they get a gold star sticker. (Does that take you all back to elementary school or what?!) I picked up a pack with hundreds of those gold stars at the dollar store. Talk about a simple and inexpensive rewards chart! We also jot down what movement we got in that day.

The other day we walked along some trails for an hour so they each put 2 gold star stickers on their charts for that day. Great way to start us off!

I just wanted to share this with all of you in case you wanted to have a month of movement challenge yourself. You don’t need to wait until the first of any specific month. Just start and go 30 days from that point. The important thing is, that you start!

Here are a few Apps and products that I like that might help:

Map My Walk – I love this one! You can sign-up for Free. I downloaded the App to my phone. Whenever my kids and I start walking, I just click a button and it keeps track of our route, how far we went and how long it took us. The kids love checking out our stats when we are done.

My Fitness Pal – This is a good one for keeping a food journal and exercise log. I just started getting into the habit of logging my meals as I usually have my phone nearby and it only takes a few minutes. It’s so educational to see how calories can add up even when you think you are eating healthy. What I like about this one is your friends can join and you can cheer each other on to help reach your goals.

Thermos FUNtainer Bottle – These are so great for helping keep the kids (or even yourself!) hydrated. They sell these at places like Target, too. What I like about the newer generation ones is that they have a handle on them.

This is a great way to spend time with the kids and stay healthy. Here are a few ideas for “movement:”

Saturday June 28, 2014 is the “Great American Backyard Campout” day. If you are looking for something fun to do with your family that weekend, why not make some new memories by camping under the stars? If you don’t have your own backyard, call up a friend that does and have your families camp together!

Every year since we thought the kids were old enough we’ve done a backyard camping day during the summer. The kids have such a great time and the best part is…if it starts to rain or the bugs get overwhelming, you just go back inside! (Not to mention, you still have the use of a clean toilet nearby!)

Here’s a list of few things to consider picking up for your backyard camping:

We actually have a little firepit where we roast hot dogs and marshmallows. And if you want to make a special treat, pick up a “Pudgie Pie Maker” that you can use to make sandwiches or little pies. All you need is bread and a can of pie filling. We tried these for the first time last year and they tasted like a warm apple pie straight out of the oven! Check out some cool Pudgie Pie Recipes on Pinterest!

Here are a few ideas of some fun to have during your backyard camping outing:

$.75 Off Reynolds Wrap Product Coupon – you can take some meat/veggies, wrap them in foil and cook them over the fire. Just use caution when you open them!

Also, SavingStar has an eCoupon that will earn you $1.50 back wyb 2 Lucky Leaf Pie Fillings that will come in handy for making those pudgie pies. I highly recommend the apple!

While the first year may be a bit of an investment if you don’t own your own tent and camping gear, it is a very frugal outing going forward as you can reuse everything annually. I hope you’ll try this fun way to camp if you haven’t already. Happy Camping if you do!

Several weeks ago, Zulily had an Apothecary Jar on sale so I decided to pick it up. My plans for it? To fill it full of summer memories.

Last night was the first of what I hope to be many additions to it. We went on a Full Moon Walk (which was AMAZING by the way) and the kids found some pine cones as we were out walking. They couldn’t wait to come back and add them to the jar.

We’ll see what fun gets added next.

I just wanted to share the idea in case you wanted to start one of your own!

You might be able to find a jar at The Salvation Army Thrift Store or some other second-hand place for not a lot out of pocket. Some dollar stores sell them, as well.

As I’ve mentioned in the past, we try to take a “Full Moon Walk” from time to time, especially in the summer. Well it looks like another Full Moon tonight–and on Friday the 13th at that! I’m kind of bummed that I missed the “Honey Moon” last night.

The idea of the Full Moon Walk comes from an older book called Walk When the Moon Is Full. It’s written by a Mother who shares the adventures her and family had each time the moon was full when they’d go on their “Full Moon Walks.”

I thought I’d share in case you were looking for something different to do for free tonight.

Here’s a few tips if you choose to go out:

*Flashlights – Even though you’ll be in well-lit areas, the kids think these are fun and you never know when you might need one. If you don’t have any, dollar bins usually carry some.

*Mosquito Repellent – You may want to use some on children that are old enough to wear it.

*Small snacks and water

*Small Blanket and/or spare jackets – You never know when a chill might creep up in the weather. Also, you might find a nice spot to just sit and stare at the moon and stars with the kids.

*Bag(s) for carrying found treasures

*Camera – Take lots of pictures for a memory book of each walk

Disclaimer: Use your best judgment and all safety requirements when walking outside. Only walk in safe neighborhoods, wear clothing that can be visible to others and even though you’ll be exploring, try to stay in well-lit areas.

As I mentioned earlier, my family and I have been having fun this week and next doing a “Board Game Decathlon.” 10 games. Boys vs. Girls. Winning team gets $20 to have a fun day together.

Wednesday, we played Pop The Pig. Basically the game goes something like this: You roll the dice, you pick a hamburger and based on the number on the bottom you push down on the pig that many times. Meanwhile, the pig is getting bigger and bigger and the person to make his belt pop, is the “winner.” We played best out of 3.

A game mostly for younger kids as it helps them learn how to count and color matching. My kids loved the anticipation of would the pig pop this time or next?

Boys won this one. A big defeat for the girls as we were now down 2-0.

Thursday, we played Big Cat Math. How this game works is that everyone gets a yarn ball card where there are 3 blank equations. You can fill in an addition or subtraction sign based on which game route you choose to go. Everyone chooses 3 numbers to put in the sum area of their card. Then you get to draw 2 cards from the cat. You work on making a valid equation such as 2+2=4. It’s all a game of luck and memory. For if the circle doesn’t work with your equations, you put it back and someone then has a chance to grab that number later if they remember where it was.

I loved how this game helped reinforce the learning of math problems and also helped the mind work backwards in some instances. *+2=6 and you had to figure out what * was.

Girls won this one. FINALLY!
CURRENT TALLY

Boys = 2 Girls = 1

So the girls are hanging in there. I was fearing a sweep!

Hope you are considering having your own Board Game Decathlon with your own family. Dust off those board games and have some frugal fun at home this week!!